Sniping bids on eBay should be an Olympic sport — not that I'm that good at it, but sometimes you do get lucky.
I was very fortunate a couple of weeks ago to out snipe another sniper — and the prize was a beauty: A very nice original condition Vibroplex Double Lever key shown at right.
The key is a unique derivative of the Vibroplex Original bug concept. The key has two levers that operate independently of one another. The “dot” lever operates just as the keying lever of the Original model does. The second lever mounts to the enlarged pivot frame on its own hinge system parallel to the dot lever.
Horace Martin was the telegrapher behind Vibroplex and the first semi-automatic bug. I'm not sure what he believed the advantage to be by splitting the dot and dash lever up as he did with the Double Lever Key.
My Double Lever key arrived today and its a honey. The seller didn't know anything about it, other than its collectible (the guy is coin dealer). The key came from someone who kept it in operating condition. I simply unpacked it and put it on the desk and it worked. The dash lever return spring felt pretty weak, and I adjusted that. I also tweaked the dot contact adjustment. It plays very very well.
But its a very odd duck to use, due simply to the way its built.
You have to keep a light touch on the dash lever, or else you can obliterate the dits if you're a little early on the dah lever. Unlike the regular keying method with a bug, you can close both levers at the same time with this key. On an iambic paddle, that usually gives you “di-dah-di-dah-di-dah-di-ah-di-ad nauseum.” Doing that with the Double Lever makes one verrry long dah. I had to slow the key down some in order to keep from cutting off the last dit on some of the characters I send.
The key arrived with close spacing and requires only a very light touch. After using it some time at slower speed I'm getting the hang of it.
DOUBLE LEVER HISTORY. This key was the second one produced by Horace G. Martin. The Original was the first. It debuted in 1907 and was produced until about 1920. The one I own is circa 1910. It does not have a serial number. The name plate is unique, and places its date of manufacture in 1910. Inscribed on the bottom is a date: 6/1/14 Co. 120. It could be the date purchased or the date employment began. June 1, 1914, was a Monday, so that might make sense.
For a key that is 98 years old, the old timer plays quite well. The base is in relatively good shape. The nickel plating on the metal parts shows wear and some corrosion, but not nearly as bad as keys half the age of this one.
I'm not ready to put this key on the air yet, but I'm going to give it some practice and perhaps additional adjustment. In the meantime I'm going to have to find some storage for some of the keys I have that are essentially duplicates or ones I'm unlikely to ever put on the air. Store 'em or sell 'em .. .hmmm…
I don't have anything other keys on my eBay Radar Screen at the moment … well, anything of substance. I'm always looking for Vibroplex parts. I have a beautiful Vibroplex WWII Original DeLuxe that needs a damper assembly. It was missing it when I got it, and I haven't been able to find a period-correct once (the cast metal damper and pivot frame was retooled near the end of WWII, giving the Vibroplex keys their rounded metal cast pivot frame and damper that they still have today. The older ones are very blocky with squared-off corners. The damper I need is the older style. I may have to simply look for this stuff at Dayton next year!
73 fer nw … dit dit ….